My World in First Week of August

It's turned out to be a quiet but busy few days of  this and that.  Doing the usual things that one does on weekends to catch up around the house.

I'm still a little under the weather so continue to occupy myself with indoor activities. 

It's not all work though. 

At times like this I enjoy my small garden more than usual and look for opportunities to take more photos, especially after a rain. See some samples (click here)  if interested.

Earlier this week.

I've been catching to watching many of my recorded television programs so I can delete them and make room for more.

 I watch Masterpiece theatre and have almost caught up to the several different series I've been following. 

 A few months ago I was enjoying, "Jewel in the Crown" series, the  final season of "Downton Abbey" (I was a latecomer to the series), "Selfridges" and "The Paradise". 

 I think my favourite series so far is "Jewel in the Crown".

Now I'm watching "Inspector Lewis" but seem to have come in at the last season of this "new-to-me" series. I get these programs from  the PBS station in Washington State to the south of me.  The station gets a lot of viewer support from Canadians.

What about you dear reader?

Do you have public television or do you watch any of these series on TV or on line?

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Another activity that's been keeping me very busy is "online window shopping".   I'm looking to coordinate a simple yet stylish and budget friendly outfit that I need for a daytime casual event.  I want to be comfortable and cool and be able to wear the clothing again as separates or altogether. I'm thinking of an all white, all natural tones, or a combination of white and off-white.

I often peruse all the deals at home and afar on line and try to see the styles and prices that capture my interest.  If the store is local I then go out to the brick and mortar store if I have time and try things on.  This kind of  activity is very time consuming.  But it beats in person shopping and not knowing in advance what is out there though certainly one can often finds nice things that aren't even on line.  The on line cost comparison is a frugal activity I like to undertake. Once I know what is on line and in stores I calculate the costs of buying in person or on line, factoring in shipping costs, taxes, my time, bus fares, etc. At the end of the day I prefer to support local shops as much as possible.

I'm mulling over several outfit possibilities. One possibility is a long, straight skirt. Here is a photo. Sorry it looks like a screen is over the image because I've taken the photo of the photo. The site wouldn't let me save an image.

The skirt has a bit of sparkle and I like that. I'm thinking of pairing a tank top similar to the one in the photo which I'll have to source from elsewhere because it doesn't seem to be on the website. I'm also thinking of a long sleeveless waterfall vest. But that is only one idea. The skirt is currently on sale.  On of that there is a time limited 25% discount so right now it is only half price. I don't go out shopping until Tuesday but I might order the skirt tonight because I like it that much.  I've never seen one like it in  the places where I tend to shop. (Update: I did try to order the skirt but wasn't happy about the price after shipping, customs and other charges were added. I also didn't like that I couldn't see the breakdown of costs before completing a whole lot of information on line. It might just be better to take a quick trip across the border and check the skirt in person.  Before I do that I will want to make sure that the discount will still be applicable because it is a time-limited offer.  To make it worth my while I would also check a few other shops nearby).

I have several other ideas for an outfit. which include:

- white top, style to be determined + white gaucho pants and long white waterfall vest
- white top, style to be determined (tank or Turkish tunic) + mid-calf skirt and long, white waterfall, sleeveless vest
- long white sleeveless or cap sleeve dress with long, white, waterfall, sleeveless vest

I also made a bit of progress in reading goals this week.  In an earlier post I mentioned finishing the book entitled "Circling with the Sun".  The book is about Beryl Markham, an early colonial settler to what is now the nation of Kenya.  Ms. Markham was a  pioneer in horse training and aviation and made her mark in both fields.

The book book was a very enjoyable read.  It gave me an insight into the life of  early British settlers to Kenya.  It opened my eyes to the lifestyle of the rich and famous in those days. The lifestyle of the rich and famous seems to be much the same today.  Aside from that,  Beryl Markham was a truly remarkable woman and very ahead of her time. She the first licensed female horse trainer and pilot in Kenya and became highly accomplished in both fields. She has the distinction of flying solo over the Atlantic Ocean from East to West (considered more challenging than West to East).  She is also credited with pioneering the use of small aircraft in safaris, a mode which is very popular today for those that have little time but more money.

 
After completing the books I'm currently reading  I will still be a few books behind in my readings goals for the year.  This year I set a modest reading goal because my focus this year is rest.  Even so, I got behind in my reading  due to being sick for much of the first quarter of the year with one cold after another. I've had another cold this past week but it isn't as bad as the winter colds. I don't recall a time when I've ever had quite so many colds as I have this year.  I think getting better sleep will help and I am working doing just that.

This book is about a young Palestinian man who builds a music school and develops an orchestra in Palestine.

This is an interesting book about a bookseller who has a store on a barge. He dispenses wisdom & appropriate books to readers.

What about you dear reader?

Are you reading any good or interesting books?

Do you set any reading goals for yourself or at least keep track of how many books you've read?

I never used to keep track of the books I read and have long forgotten many of them.

I now find it interesting to go back and see what I've read over the past few years and the types of books.

It seems that a lot of books I choose are of the historical fiction genre. 

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My nephew called and paid a brief visit on Saturday.  He is on the way to a conference in Montreal where he will present a paper on Wednesday afternoon. I'm very proud of him as he is in the final year of his Master's Program in Psychology. He has been undertaking laboratory research for about 4 years and  has already been to several conferences in the USA and Canada to present his research findings.  He is a very busy young man juggling work, research, studies and a committed relationship. I haven't had a chance to visit with him much over the last year.  In  less than a year he will be finished his Masters degree before embarking on the final leg of his educational journey.

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On Sunday morning I captured the beautiful sunrise to the east.  I went out to capture this after hearing the sad news about the young man in Kenya who passed away a few days ago from complications of cancer.

The colours in the sky were exceptionally beautiful.

My camera and I did not do full justice to the scene.

The morning reminded me of the wonders and beauty of creation.

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It's only a few more days before my last guest of the summer arrives.
So much to do before she arrives but I made excellent progress today in the preparations.
Enjoy your week!

Linking up with Lady Fi over at Our World Tuesday
and
NC Sue over at image-in-ing

Thank you for visiting.

Update on Pokot Woman & A Little of This and That

I've been busy with a little of this and that over the past few days and still fighting a bit of cold symptoms. I've been taking my daily Emergen-C (packets of Vitamin C & B which I mix with water before drinking) and it seems to help keep my energy levels up and the sniffles at bay.

I was glad to have finished writing a few letters and post cards to my sponsored boys in Kenya and Ethiopia which I put in the post today.  I am prepared for Christmas for them. Though I didn't send funds for Christmas gifts for the children, I opted to send  family gifts so that the boy's families could have a nice Christmas without financial stresses.  Christmas is the time in Kenya where the families like to try and get a new set of clothing and also have a meal that includes meat or fish rather than just starch and veggies.  I hope that they will be able to also get a few other food stuffs they need since inflation is rampant in Kenya right now.  I am not quite sure what the situation is in Ethiopia but I know the people are very poor so they will be able to benefit from a family gift.  I was also able to get some post cards and note cards in the mail to other friends. I don't prepare much snail mail anymore and so it felt good to get these off in the post.

When I checked my post box at the post office today I had a wonderful surprise. A dear friend from Colorado sent me a cheque because she read my post here about the woman in Kenya who had fistula due to female genital mutilation (FGM).  She has to be rushed to hospital to deliver her child and after that rushed to a larger city center for proper medical treatment. It's been a challenging time to get the funds together to take care of the hospital bills for this woman.  Somehow through prayers and the grace of God we've managed to pay the medical bill so the woman, her baby and the lady missionary are now all on their way home.  Initially, the plan was to send them to stay with friends in Kericho (which is even farther south from the mom's home) because we felt the young mom needed to rebuild her strength and recover from surgery.   We were a bit concerned that she wasn't quite ready to go home due to blood in the breast milk. Though the hospital was prepared to release her we knew it wouldn't be  easy to get her back to a major hospital again if it turned out that she needed more help.

In the end, the new mom stayed in hospital for several days longer due to inability to cover the medical fees. That meant she was a little stronger and we felt she could travel by the time I was able to get the funds together.  The mother, her child and missionary were finally on their way home two days ago.  They were planning to rest for one or two days at a relative's house in a small town called Kapenguria (near the Kenya-Uganda border). They would make the final leg the journey to Itibet (not on the map) over a rough road after their rest.  You might remember that the woman just had surgery not even two weeks ago to repair fistula damage and is recovering from child birth too.  So the travel is not easy. Thank goodness she has relatives along the way that can house her for a bit of rest.

If you look to the west on the map, you can find Eldoret.  This is the larger city center where mom was in hospital for surgery. It is not the city where people from her area are supposed to go.  They are supposed to be taken by ambulance to Kitale.  But the young missionary woman that escorted her and the baby, had the foresight to tell the ambulance drivers to take her to Eldoret where the medical hospital is much better.  Of course this added to the cost.  But when you think that someone can lose a life or go to a better place and be sure to get good medical help then you must do what you can to get the best medical help.

From Eldoret, you travel north to Kapenguria.  This is a much smaller town and where the travel party stayed with relatives for a night or two before journeying home. Their ultimate destination is not on the map but is very near the border of Uganda. In Kenya distances can be short but travel time is much longer than in Canada or the USA due to weather and road conditions.

The donation I received today and another recent donation from a blogging friend in England, really made us feel supported and helped alleviate some financial stress.  It will be put to good use in helping the impoverished woman to purchase baby formula and pampers.  Cloth diapers might be more cost effective and  environmentally friendly but very impractical.  It is a dry and dusty land where they live.  There is little water for drinking let alone to have a regular bath and do laundry.  That makes cloth diapers out of the question.  We would like to provide this mom with assistance to buy formula and pampers until the baby is past the milk and pamper stage.  If anyone would like to help with this need please feel free to get in touch.

Now on to a few other things.

In a recent post I shared with you that I was going to attend a book launch and a ballet performance. These occurred on Wednesday and Thursday and both were fantastic.  This was very frugal entertainment for me because the book launch was free.  The ballet performance I attended only cost me one dollar (Canadian). I got in on a deal with a group I belong to and that is why the cost was so minuscule.  A regular ticket would have been $81.50 plus service charges.

I didn't get photos of the ballet performance as photos are not permitted for performances of any kind at most of the venues in the city.  I think it is like that all over North America and Europe.  In the ballet, the first half of the performance was set to the live choral music of Chor Leoni, a local men's choral group. The music added  a lot of depth, power and beauty to  the performance. I'm very glad I had a chance to experience it. The book launch was also a unique experience and I did get a few photos there too but wasn't permitted to take audience photos (more on the launch in another post).

I like to join in with hostess, Eileen at Saturday's Critters whenever I have time to shoot a new bird or other critter photos. This week I managed to get a few bird photos on 2 different days. The first one is a sea gull flying around the high towers of the city. The other bird is a black crow.  We seem to have plenty of both in this city.

This was the dark sky on the night of the book launch.

This bird was high up in the tree. I wouldn't have found him but for the zoom lens.

I captured this black bird on a beautiful sunny day.

I also used one beautiful, sunny day to go out and get more photos of fall foliage. It seems one can never get enough of those.

Lovely red maple leafs against the green grass.

I spotted this human critter across the street from where the bird was perched.

Some of you read about the movies I was watching in my recent post here.  I've been enjoying watching movies on DVD so much that I borrowed 3 more DVDs from the library:

• Gravity with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney

• Frost-Nixon with Frank Langella (as President Richard Nixon) and Michael Sheen (as David Frost)

• Heaven is for Real with Greg Kinnear.

My favourite movie out of the three is  Heaven is For Real.  Greg Kinnear played pastor and father to 4 year son, Colton Burpo, played by Connor Corum. These two actors gave outstanding performances and the entire supporting cast were terrific.  In case you are unfamiliar with the film, it is about a small-town father (played by Greg Kinnear) who must find the courage and conviction to share with the world his son's life-changing experience of going to Heaven.  Understandably it was not so easy for the father to believe that his 4 year old could have gone to Heaven.  But a few things the young boy saw and experienced there and later relayed to his family, ultimately led the father to believe his young son.  The story is about what happens as a result of the young boy's experience.

Of course all these DVDs were free to borrow from the library so it has been very frugal entertainment. My local library seems to be expanding it's DVD offerings.  I will gladly make use of this service again in 2016. I've discovered that even though DVD loans are only for 1 week rather than 3 weeks like books, you can renew the DVDs even if someone has it on hold. Renewing books that are on hold doesn't work in my library system but it does work for DVDs. I'm not sure why but it works for me!

Playing in theaters right now is another great film if you are into spy films., the latest 007 movie "Spectre". I won't give anything away but I did see the film on Friday.  It is a quintessential James Bond movie with thrills from beginning to end.  The only thing I did not enjoy was the steep price of the movie ticket ($12.55 Canadian).  My friend and I went to the matinee thinking we would get a cheaper entrance that way only to discover the theater is newly renovated.  It now has a bar and lounge area and let's movie goers select their own seats prior to paying.  For these benefits you pay a premium price whether you use the bar or not. It is just one way that movie theaters are now trying to attract or compete with restaurants and bar and other forms of entertainment.

Are you still with me? If you've hung in there all the way to this point in the post, I thank you. I wonder how many of you have heard of Movember? It is a global charitable cause set up to raise funds for prostate cancer, testicular cancer and men's mental health. The idea is that men grow mustaches in the month of November and also try to raise funds for the fight against these men's diseases.  If you have ever had prostate cancer, testicular cancer or mental issues yourself, or, you have a loved one who has, you may be touched by these efforts. My friends in the Kenyan Boys Choir  have been moved to grow mustaches and do their part to  raise funds for the cause.They have set a modest goal of $500 and need your help to make the goal a reality.  Please contribute here if you are able. You can also make anonymous contributions if you prefer. (I believe this beautiful photo below was taken by professional photographer for the Kenyan Boys Choir).

 The members of the Kenyan Boys Choir who are touring in 2015. Only half of them are touring.  The others are in Kenya.

This week I will be busy preparing things for a soon visit to my mom.  As always I will be sewing a few things for her and getting all her food and medicines together and that requires time. I'm also looking forward to a visit from an out of town friend who is making an impromptu trip to the city.  It will be nice to have some time to catch up on all the news. I might also have yet another movie to see in theaters. This one is a Christmas comedy with Diane Keaton, John Goodman and Olivia Wilde. It is an advance screening and I will get double passes for free.

I hope your week is an enjoyable one. Thank you for stopping by. As always I try to make a return visit to you too!

Joining in with Saturday's Critters a little late this week

and

Our World Tuesday

A Bit of This and That

Hi folks,

I hope you are all doing fine.

I've been doing a little of this and that over the past 5 days or so.

First, I've been busy "window shopping" for various home decor accents, mainly throw cushions. Covers for throw cushions to be exact. I couldn't find what I want and certainly not at the prices I want to pay. Most cushion covers are priced at anywhere from $7.99 for a small lumber pillow to about $89 or so for a nicely patterned cover with cushion inside.   

Instead I decided to make cushion covers using some of my Japanese indigo fabric purchased over the summer at a sale price of $12. Canadian.  The remaining cushion covers will be made using some inexpensive solid burgundy pillow cases and burgundy/beige/white pillow cases with elephant pattern.  Both sets were purchased earlier in the week at $1.99 (+ tax) Canadian for each set.  Now I just need to find some deep gold coloured fabric (cost unknown) to make a few lumbar support cushions.  For closures, I will use buttons I have on hand instead of zippers. All cushions are for a friend who doesn't read this blog.  Grand total cost for 8 cushion covers will be around $20 (including tax) Canadian.  The cushion inserts will cost extra.

An idea of what the cushion covers will look like when done. I need to find fabric in gold/mustard colour.

This is the Persian inspired carpet in the living area. Current sofa and chair are a mustard colour.

At home I've started on another major decluttering exercise which usually gets combined with home organization.  Each time I get rid of a lot of things, I also end up moving things,  storing them in different locations and sometimes buying more storage containers.  Those of you who purge and organize on a regular basis know that the task is never really done.  I try to implement a major declutter once or twice each year.  But it has probably been a bit longer than that since I last tackled this task.  In this go around, I've decided one of my key tasks will be to organize my dresser drawers (and closet shelves) better so clothing is visible to the wearer.  I also plan to empty all the bags I've been storing under my dining table. Bags of fabric and clothing that need to find a home, go to the thrift or get thrown out.  I also have bags in my bedroom that need sorting. I am still trying to pare down what I inherited from my sister and my mother (mostly my mother). The storage room is filled to capacity so whatever I have in my home needs to be pared down. The kitchen will also be given a once over. I have at least one appliance to give away and a lot of cookbooks I need to pare down. Ideally I'd like to get rid of al cookbooks since I basically only use online recipes. But that is a pipe dream. I love books too much.

So to help with getting my dresser organized, I stopped at a Japanese variety store earlier this week.  The store is sort of like a dollar store though most goods cost at least $2.00 and go marginally upward in price.  I was looking for drawer dividers.  Not the basket or container type, but the kind that partitions the drawers.

I found two types of dividers to try and have since organized the small dresser drawers where socks and undergarments are kept.  The total cost was $10. but I need to buy one more sock container at another $2. for a grand total of $12. Canadian. Perhaps I will upload a photo or two when done with this project.

I also need to purchase some inexpensive fabric or plastic boxes suitable for larger clothing items.  These are for the larger dresser drawers and for the open grid shelves in my closets. For the moment, I've used several shoe boxes and a cardboard box in one large drawer. I've rolled up the t-shirts and put them side by side so they are clearly identifiable when the drawer is opened. If I had more boxes I would simply use them instead.

There are fabric boxes and various kinds of plastic storage containers widely available in my city and in a very wide range of prices.  I live in a large city but if you live in a smaller city or town, the best place to check for organizational items would be the local dollar store. If you don't have one of these, then Amazon is a good place to buy them and Wal-Mart also has these kinds of items.  Personally, I prefer to buy these types of items in a brick and mortar store so I can examine them and buy them on the spot if they will suit the purpose.

Dollarama and the Dollar Tree are the next stores I will check out.  I never get to the latter but will make a point of going there soon to check out what they have since all items are priced at no more than $1.25 Canadian whereas items at Dollarama can go up to $3.00 and the Japanese variety store prices are also $2. or more.

None of these prices sound so expensive.  But when you are purchasing a lot of items it is best to spend the least amount possible on each item.  The total can really add up even at small prices per item.  For example, to separate socks and undergarments the spend is a  grand total of $12 (+ tax ) Canadian.  But there are still 3 large dresser drawers (estimated cost to organize each drawer is at least 3 times more for each drawer ($36 each or subtotal $108  + tax).  There are also up to 8 closet shelves to organize.  Depending on what kind of containers one buys it can be anywhere from $6 to $20 per shelf (estimated subtotal $ 48 to - $160 total for the shelves). That means I potentially have another $158 to $268  (+ tax) total Canadian to spend on organizers dresser drawers and closet shelves.  This is still a high cost when you consider that all items are going to be purchased in dollar stores or inexpensive variety stores rather than the high end container stores.

There is no way I am going to spend this amount to organize clothing.  

I simply cannot fathom spending that kind of money when there are so many needs in Kenya and here at home.

  Now you see why I haven't already organized these spaces. 

In the past I've just folded everything nicely and tried to keep it organized as best I can by colour and garment type.  But my system just hasn't been working too well.  It is also  too much work to keep clothing from getting all jumbled and messy because my closet shelves are open grid.  I need an economical way to organize the clothing.

Perhaps the solution is to make my own out of foam board. Here is a good YouTube tutorial if any of you are also interested. You could even cover cardboard pieces with Mac Tac contact paper or wrapping paper. Personally this is too much work for me.  But it might work for you if you have time and especially if you already have all the required items around your home. Foam boards are available at Staples for about $14. (+ tax) for 3 sheets. I will need at least 9 sheets for a total of $42 (+ tax). I already have the cutter. Wal-mart Canada also sells the foam board in store at 2 sheets for about $6 (+ tax) so this is a better deal. Perhaps they also sell it at the dollar stores for even less. I also like the idea of just using boxes so you can use different size boxes that will fit into your space. If you don't like the look of boxes you can cover them with wall paper, Mac Tac, wrapping paper or colourful tape from the dollar store.  I'm not 100 percent sure yet what solution I will use but I will do what is quickest and cheapest for me to get the job done soon.

While I was out looking for organizing aids I was also finally able to find a suitable phone for my mother.  My brother and I have both been looking for a set for over a month both on line and in store.  He was even going to go across the border to buy the phone we need.  But on Thursday evening I found a suitable phone on a sale price of $69.99 (+ tax) marked down from $99.99 (+ tax).  I was happy.

Some time ago I started reading a biography on Charles Dickens and while I have been enjoying it I simply haven't had too much time for reading. I've renewed the book several times already and it can't be renewed any more so I've decided I'm prepared to pay a small over due find of about $1.50 for one week so I can finish the book.  After posting about this, I called the library and was able to get an extension to the loan period for one additional week. That's great and a savings of $1.50.

Besides shopping and organizing, I've been knitting a stash of dishcloths for home use and for small gifts. I've also been giving some thought to what to get for Christmas gifts this year and have a lot of ideas for economical and sentimental gifts that will be suitable for my family members.

In progress

This is a beautiful buck from the land of Kenya.

And here are two beautiful exotic birds living at the Bloedel Conservatory in Vancouver.

Pied Imperial Pigeon

An Electus Parrot. I think his name is Kiwi.

I hope your week has been a good one.

Joining with our host Eileen at Saturday's Critters.

Enjoy the weekend and the week ahead!

Saving Money

It has been awhile since I did a post on how I save funds and s-t-r-e-t-c-h my income. I've been working very hard since last Fall to save funds as I'm planning a trip which I've been looking forward to for awhile and which has been delayed on several occasions already (more about the trip later). The trip has been delayed by factors other than monetary but the careful spending I've been doing really helps me stretch funds and gives me less anxiety over spending on my trip. It bears repeating that frugal living and frugal spending is now a way of life for me. I can give more freely to charitable causes and my work in Africa when I watch my own purse strings at home.

One way I save funds is to always shop the sales.

Clothing

In that vein I've managed to buy a lot of things that I will need on my travels.

• 2 pair of twill capris at 40% off

• 2 cotton t-shirts at 40%

Not only did I get 40% off of these items but I also received an extra $10 off. This particular store often gives a $10 off card to get people to shop it's sales. (Savings $60.)

I live in a rainy climate and yet have never owned a proper rain jacket. Now I have two! I purchased the first one last Fall for about 35% off. It is a quality rain jacket but I need to hem the sleeves and haven't done it yet. It is supposed to be breathable but I wore it once (with sleeves rolled up).  I found I was very hot running my errands throughout the day but I intend to use this heavier rain jacket i the dead of winter.  The other day my brother asked me if I wanted or needed a rain jacket, a packable light one for travel. I didn't really want one but he needed one.  In in order to get a discount he needed to buy 2 rain jackets.  So I went with him to check out the jackets and see what I could find. Both of us were able to find packable jackets in our sizes. They are made of smoother material than my first one and pack up to hardly anything. I also find it very comfortable to wear and it has a hood and deep pockets.  It will work great for my travels and only cost $15 marked down from $59. (savings $43.01)

Other things I purchased several months ago: 7 maxi dresses (4 with small cap sleeves and 3 sleeveless). Two of the dresses are the exact same pattern but one is a smaller size. I purchased these on line at clearance prices. The best savings were the 4 dresses that cost $79.99 reduced to $19.66 (savings $60.33 x 4 = $241.32).  The other dresses actually came with coordinating scarves and bangles (a total outfit) and were considerably reduced.  I don't remember the original price but think they were $89.99 I paid $19.99 (Savings $210.00). I've actually worn all the dresses but 1 already and have gotten a lot of use out of them. They are a lot more comfortable than wearing pants and capris on a hot day and look a far sight better. Everywhere I go I get admiring glances and outright compliments. I feel so well dressed when I walk down the street and see women and girls in their short dresses and short shorts.  For various reasons, I just cannot dress like they do and I do like to be comfortable. Total savings on dresses $415.32.

Total Clothing Savings:  $ 554.33

Telecommunications

I cut the special channels I had ordered on a 6 month promotion. Initially I opted in to these special channels as a way to see what I might be missing and because the channels were half price as an introductory offer for 6 months. I ended the first offer at about 5 months and took another package but ended it at 3 months. I just felt these channels offered nothing interesting but was glad of the chance to test them at a reduced price. Technically this isn't savings because I spent some money on channels I did not need. But it is a good use of funds to experiment and try out channels at reduced prices so you don't waste money paying full price. I could save a lot more money if I cut back to basic service altogether or cancel my subscription.  For various reasons I have not done this. Now I'm waiting to see what changes are coming as the Canadian Broadcasting regulatory authority is reforming the telecommunications industry in Canada.  This includes banning 3 years cell phone contracts and now looking at changes to television channel packaging.

I reduced one phone bill by cutting out voice mail ($10 a month) and increased long distance plan from 300 minutes to unlimited (which is really 1000 minutes), an increase from $6. to $20.  (This is to save the overuse of minutes in the plan which cost almost $19. dollar a month on top of the $6. plan).  These minutes are used for talking to mom every day and 300 minutes isn't enough time for the entire month. The operator also gave me a $10 monthly discount because I asked whether the package deal was the very best they could do. I am not sure how long the $10 discount will last but however long it lasts it is a real savings. I will assess things in another few months. Savings $20 a month for voice mail and discount.  Another $4. a month or so will be saved on long distance charges.

Total savings on phone plan: 24.00 a month.

Gifts

I don't give so many gifts anymore but I still do like to give birthday and Christmas gifts to family members or very good friends. I have a few birthdays coming up in August and so I've been keeping my eyes open to gift ideas.

1.  For my pastor I've purchased a wonderful CD of instrumental Christian music - Regular price $13.98 purchased for $.99 (Savings $12.99)

2. For a friend I purchased a beautifully wrapped tea set for 2 which includes 2 china cups, a box of tea, and spoons placed in a reusable basket and wrapped in cellophane. Not sure the original price. I purchased it for $3.99 at a local thrift store. I placed it with nice gift paper in a large box along with a pair of denim jeggings marked down from $69.99 to $9.99 (Savings $60.00)

3. For another friend I bought a pendant marked down from $69.99 to $19.99 (Savings $50.00). This one is for a friend who lives in USA and so has to be small to reduce mailing costs.

Total spending on gifts is  $30.97.  This spending was not totally necessary but I like to appreciate the people in my life now and then. Especially if they have been a good support to me or they are celebrating something special.

Total savings on gifts:  $122.99

Household

I regularly shop sales for food and all household items too. Since I last posted about savings at the pharmacy and points I've managed to save and use points worth $85 on two separate occasions since about March. I now have another $85 earned.  I don't normally earn so many points in such a short time but I've been getting wonderful multiplication of my spending by using promotional coupons.

I manage to earn  points by buying necessary household needs like toilet paper, paper towels (use sparingly), laundry detergent (I no longer use home made liquid detergent in my HE washers. If anyone has done this I'd be interested in knowing if you've experienced any issues with the washers), etc. I will be using my next $85 on purchasing vitamins which are very expensive. I can further increase my savings by waiting until the vitamins are on sale and they seem to be on sale right now. I didn't tally all the savings on monthly spending for household items purchased at the drugstore but it is huge. That is how I save the points to get more spending dollars to use on other things I need.  One thing I have learned not to do is spend on items I don't need just to earn points. Instead I rapidly earn points by looking for items that multiply the points earned by up to 20x. I also signed up for special offers to get significantly higher points for items I regularly use.

I also regularly save money on the food bill. This is getting harder and harder to do so I no  longer shop every week for meat. This might happen once or twice a month now when there is a decent sale.  Savings still add up but I don't tally this. I don't have time.

Last but not least, earlier this week I purchased a wool mattress pad (for aching back). I purchased it at a store closing out sale marked down from $139. to $85 (savings $54.00) . This wasn't the best sale but I know the price of wool and the mattress pads made of wool. Even at the regular price it was a bargain. I've actually been using it all week and it is comfortable to sleep on.

Total household savings:  $54.00 + ($85 x 3) $255. (dollars earned at drugstore since March) = $ 309.00

Other

I don't just stretch the dollars by careful shopping on clothing and household food items. There are many other ways to save funds.

Eating out is one of the biggest sources of monthly expenditure for many people. When I go out I try to limit my dining budget to coffees/cool beverages and small, inexpensive places where I can get a wholesome meal (there are few of these places around but you can usually find one or two in your jaunts around the city). I prefer to have my coffee and meals at home so I can control what I eat.  But from time to time you can't and I'm not at that stage where I pack my lunch with me (I may get there). Also you need to get together with friends now and then over coffee and a meal. Most of my friends like to "go out" rather than eat at home. That is the social scene in Vancouver.

Entertainment is another big expense for most people. I limit my spending on this to one concert in a blue moon. I seldom go to concerts due to the expense but if I really want to take in an event I will. Last time I went to a concert it was for the Soweto Gospel Choir. That was a real treat and it was already 4 years ago!  Movies are something I like to enjoy. I save money by going to matinees and cheap days. I also don't bother with the snacks. I always carry a backpack and have my own healthier snacks inside if I really need to eat something. I carry water wherever I go also. Every time I go to a movie I earn points toward a free movie. If you go more often you get a free movie more often. I haven't been to a movie in a long while. Though I've certainly been meaning to go I have just been too busy. I busy myself with other entertaining things: books, television, blogging, crafts, gardening, day to day life.

Crafting is very expensive too especially since I have numerous hobbies. I always look for products on line and have now built up quite the stash of yarns. The last balls of yarn I bought were marked down at Michael's from $7.99 to $3.99.  I don't really need to buy more. If I had more room I probably would have even more yarn and other craft items for I also love to crochet, bead, sew, quilt, etc.

Books and magazines can be very expensive but such a source of pleasure. I get most of my books at the library. Recently I've been buying a few new books again because I've been looking for specific books that I can't get second hand in local shops.  I'm limiting the purchases to what I am definitely going to use as reference books right now.  They are books I've already read at the library and know I will use and related to health and/or cooking.The library also has magazines but you need to read them at the library. I just do not have time to sit and browse through magazines there but would love to do that some day. They also have printed news if you like the newspaper but I do most of my news reading on line in bits and spurts throughout the day. It is a lot quicker.

Hair care is a huge expense for most women. I've cut down on the cost of salon visits. I only go 2-3 times a year now for a cut and sometimes colour. I do my own hair at home using henna (a $10 bag lasts me about 1 year) or reduced price hair colouring ( a box costs me anywhere from $6.99 to $8.99 on sale and lasts one month or 1-2 uses).  I stopped using store bought hair colour to reduce my toxic load. I used only henna for 2 years.  Lately I have reverted to colour in a box again because it takes too much of my energy to put on the goopy henna and let it sit on my head for 2 hours then try to wash it all out.  It is much easier if I get the hair dresser to do it.  After my travels I will likely return to using henna to reduce chemicals on my body and also to save the pocketbook.

Running the home and paying for things like electricity is also very expensive. I monitor my power bills and try to reduce expenses by keeping the heat off through much of the winter as possible. I make use of heavy socks, sweaters, far infrared heating pads and mattress pads (I'm aware of concerns over emissions so have been moving to flannel sheets, more blankets, socks in bed, thermal pjs). Another huge savings is to use energy efficient appliances. All my appliances are energy efficient and save not only water but power usage and is my little bit to preserve our natural resources. This has made a big difference in my monthly household costs. Whenever I can afford it I want to update the bathrooms and install water efficient showers and toilets.

Conclusion

Since November I've managed to save just over $1000. Canadian dollars on clothing and household food & toiletry items (toilet paper, etc.).  These are things I need to buy.  I haven't included savings on all the other ways of saving money which I've mentioned (electricity, etc.).  If I wanted to do a really detailed analysis it would take me far more time than I want to dedicate to this exercise.  I know I've actually saved more money but the savings are on things that are more wants than needs. For example, massage services and acupuncture.  There can be considerable savings to be had if one looks through Groupon first. Only look if you need something and will use it soon otherwise you will be tempted to spend more than you should. Though these kinds of items are more in the want category they can also fall into the need category.  For example, I take massages, foot reflexology and acupuncture for pain and muscular issues. So it is a form of health care and health care costs are never frivolous if the aim is to improve or maintain health.

Saving money is a constant challenge and a constant task.   I said to the young clerk at the pharmacy the other day that all this coupon business was a lot of work and it is like having a job.  She knows me well and said 'yes, I'm sure it is but you are really saving a lot".

If you are like me you get a buzz by savings of 50-60% and if I can get the 90% savings now and then, so much the better! I feel very pleased with myself when that happens. I am pleased because I know I am spending wisely the funds that have been entrusted to me. I can also give to others less fortunate and help the most vulnerable in Kenya. One thing to remember though is not to spend for the sake of spending and accumulating.  There are also many other ways to reduce costs and expenditures. I've highlighted a few of the things I do regularly which adds up to significant savings over time. Here's to wise spending and happy savings.

This and That Kind of Week

 Hi friends,




It continues to be a busy time around here.  One thing that keeps me very busy most weeks is my "secret" activity which I hinted at in earlier posts.  It deserves a post of it's own as it keeps me fairly busy.  That post will likely come in the new year after I've had enough time to assess the full benefits.

I've also been catching up to household chores (dish washing by hand, sweeping and mopping floors, laundry and general tidying). In between I am running errands and/or reading a good book.It's been awhile since I've shared what new books I've read. I've put photos on this page showing you my current reading.

Another thing that keep me busy is looking for savings every week. This week I've been looking for savings on staples for the house and kitchen. I got a great deal on liquid laundry soap for high efficiency washers at Safeway.  On top of the financial savings, I got some great bonus Air-miles points. I wanted 4 big jugs of laundry detergent which the store didn't have but they gave me a rain check and will honor the bonus Air-miles.

I also kept my eyes open for other deals. This week the best deal has to be on Honey Bunches of Oats cereal (439 grams per box) at $1.98 each.  A savings of $4.00 per box!!  I also bought 4 cans of milk at 99 cents a can. The price of evaporated milk has soared in the recent years to well over $2.00 per can.  That means the sale price is more than 50% off. It is rare to find evaporated milk at 99 cents a can these days. My other great deals of the week are: 10 kg. of Robin Hood Flour @ $9.98 and Folgers Coffee for $7.98. I usually buy Maxwell House at $6.99 per can but I haven't seen it on sale for a few months.

I also bought a bag of small eggplant (6-7 in the bag) for $1.00. They were used right away in a stir fry. Romaine lettuce, spinach and English cucumbers were this week's purchases on sale (all prices in Canadian dollars). I used the greens in smoothies. The cucumbers are for salad.

I don't have to buy any meat right now.  My eldest nephew gave me some elk meat (prepared by the butcher into ground meat, sausages, garlic coil and steaks). He also gave me some wild salmon which he caught and vacuum packed. Originally I was to get this in August but just brought it home the week before last.

I didn't mean to turn this post into "what I bought this week on sale", lol.  But as I was typing this post I realized that I spend a good deal of my time researching sale prices on each and everything I buy. Food and household shopping takes up the bulk of this time.

I try to time my purchases to get store points or Air-miles (reward miles) whenever I can so that adds more time to the planning aspect of shopping.  I kind of enjoy this aspect because it seems to multiple my savings so much.  Next I will likely buy paper towels and toilet paper at Safeway.  There is a sale on these items for a few days starting Friday.  An added incentive is that they are having another bonus Air-miles promotion.  John of John's Island asked what I will use the Air-miles for but at this moment I am not sure. It takes quite a awhile to build up points to anything of value. But I did manage to get two nights at a hotel in New York (actually New Jersey a short train ride away) last summer.

Another activity I spend a lot of time on each week is trying to improve my health.  I'm trying out this new to me powdered herb blend called Daily Turmeric. It is supposed to help with inflammation. I thought I would try one month of this blended turmeric and see if I notice anything different. I know turmeric is supposed to be good for arthritis. I do have turmeric I use in my curries and soups but this blend appealed to me.

It is quite a strong tasting blend. I tried it at the health food store where they put it in juice but I seldom drink store bought juice.  Instead I put a serving in my romaine-strawberry-orange smoothie today. I could probably just use my own turmeric powder but I don't have the black cherry to add to it in powdered form. I also do use turmeric spice in my cooking. Once I run out of the Daily Turmeric I will try just adding regular turmeric spice to my smoothies. It will be a lot less expensive.

Tonight, I have to get out my sewing machine and make an adjustment to a robe my nephew wants to wear tomorrow when he and his girlfriend go out for Halloween. He will be dressing as a judge and has his white wig ready to go.  On the news today I heard that Halloween is now 2nd only to Christmas in terms of retail sales profits.

I don't celebrate Halloween because of my faith. It's made a bit easier by the fact I never get children coming to my door for treats. My nephew says he wouldn't celebrate either but for his girlfriend who wants to celebrate the 3rd anniversary of their meeting. He is a good boyfriend; always very considerate of his lovely girlfriend. I could pass on helping with his costume but he relies on me and I love him so I will do this small favor (of course he also gets my opinions, lol).

If any of you are going out with children or friends on Halloween, please take care and stay warm and safe.

A Frugal Week

Hi friends,

I hope you all had a great week. I have had a busy and productive one. It was a good week.

I started the week with making a baby quilt for my soon to be great-niece or nephew who will be born any day now. It is exciting awaiting the arrival of a new baby. The quilt was sent off in the post and arrived yesterday.  Since I did not purchase any new materials and had all the necessary fabric, thread and batting on hand, this was a very cost-effective gift.

Early in the week I visited a new to me university in the city. It is a small, private American university. I went there to ask questions and gather information for a friend of mine who is contemplating attending there. I was very impressed with what I learned and the fact that the university seems very responsive to real needs of students.  I do think though that the cost of tuition is a bit prohibitive.This little outing was very interesting for me and brought back my own excitement about being a student so long ago.  Other than the cost of the bus ride ($3.50 Canadian) it didn't cost me anything for the outing.

The night before my meeting at the university I received a coupon from  Michael's Craft store for 50% off a regular priced item.  I am adding large balls of yarn to my stash in different colours.  I don't need the yarn right away so I am going to buy 1 large ball of yarn every now and then.  The usual savings I would have on one regular priced item is 40% off.  This time it was 50% so I saved $6. (Canadian) off the total cost.  I also bought  6 small balls of cotton (at a savings of  $3.00). Altogether I saved $9. on yarns.  I'm hoping to make something different with the balls of cotton to be unveiled later if the project is a success. Normally I make cotton dishcloths and I really enjoy making them. Now and then though it is nice to make something different and add to my repertoire.

Yesterday I spent $14.30 (Canadian) on veggies, fruit and a small bag of pita bread (celery, carrots, romaine lettuce, mandarin oranges, bananas, pita bread).  The romaine was about $.50 off and the pita was only $.99 cents.  Though I am now trying to reduce my carb intake (no more bread baking, sigh), I haven't had a sugar spike when I make a veggie/pita (whole wheat) sandwich so now and then I buy the pita at this good price. At the supermarket it is about $2.50 for the same bag.

Today I purchased a few roma tomatoes ($1.49 per pound) and a small head of green cabbage ($.69 per pound) for an additional $5. (and a bit of change) spending on vegetables this week.  I haven't had any mandarin oranges since the winter and so I splurged to have for snacks.  Good thing the oranges are smaller ones.  I've also managed to find small bananas on my last few forays to the produce market. Having smaller oranges and bananas is a good thing because I have to watch the sugar intake.

I do use a lot of veggies and I like to have a variety of them each week. I also like to have a variety of fruits though bananas, oranges, apples, lemons and limes are the staples. It used to be that veggies and fruits were the least expensive things to buy in my neighbourhood.  But these days nothing is inexpensive.  I just try to scale back and buy those items that are not so expensive or are on sale in any given week.

An example of healthy soup made with fresh produce.

Last week in the produce store the zucchini was $1.59 a pound.  Today the same zucchini was $1.79 a pound.  I've noticed that since new owners took over at the neighbourhood produce store, a lot of the prices have increased considerably.  The quality however has gone down. A lot.  The new owner is now charging virtually the same prices as the chain supermarket across the street.  But the supermarket has much better produce.  For example, the small, shrivelled lemons on offer at the produce store were 3 lemons for $2.00 (Canadian).  The supermarket across the street has much bigger, fresher ones and you pay about $.89 each.  You couldn't get 3 for $2. but you can get 2 large and plump ones.

The other day my friend was shopping at the same produce store.  He felt he was overcharged so he got them to re-do the tally and discovered he was overcharged by $10! That is a significant over charge. They blamed it on the new cashier who was just learning the ropes.

Basically, it really pays to shop around.  It also pays to keep your eyes open for changing prices at your favourite stores. Don't be afraid to ask questions of the cashier and to put things back if you find the prices are too high.  At the larger supermarkets I always try to watch the cash register and have saved myself a lot of money this way.  Often the inventory being scanned has not been reduced in the system so if you don't catch it you may be significantly out of pocket.  If you know the prices you can always tell when you are paying too much. I speak up immediately (before I leave the store) and have the problem corrected before I leave.  This saves me a trip back to the store to sort things out later.

I save all bottles and containers that have a recycle fee attached. Whene I have a shopping bag full of bottles and cans, I take them to the supermarket for a refund.  They limit the amount of recyclables they take at any one time but it works for me since I can't have too many piling up in my small kitchen before they need to be returned for the deposit.  Usually the amount I get back for a full bag is around $1.40 Canadian and this week was no exception. I'm given a chit for the refund which I can then cash out when I go to the check out counter.

This week I also made $2. on a scratch ticket sent to me for my birthday.  This is like found money since I didn't have to do anything to get it but scratch the numbers.

I was also able to save several dollars on a donation of airtime to a Kenyan friend. Sending money to foreign countries can be costly, especially when multiplied many times over the course of a year. I never know when there will be a discount off the fees but when they do happen, I try to take advantage of them.

When I went to the pharmacy last night to pick up my medication I did some browsing around the store to see if anything I needed was on sale.   Just before I was going to pay for the items I checked my email and discovered that I could use a coupon that would earn me 16,000 (a  monetary value of about $20.).  I collect points so I can buy staples such as toilet paper, eggs, milk, butter and coffee and whatever else I may need.  What do you think I did?  I mentioned it to the pharmacist that I had points if I waited until Saturday and and she kindly offered to have someone put back everything I had taken off the shelves. I said I would be back Saturday. I did go back and I ended up earning 34,000 (16,000 of them I will get in a few weeks). That is like a dollar value of around $55. and will come in handy for use later.

Have you ever used Freecycle?  You can post offers to get rid of your no longer needed items or you can post want ads.  I usually post things to give away but a few weeks ago I responded to a give away for a bunch of unused fabric. The lady who was giving away the fabric kindly brought it to my home today because she had given me the wrong address when I went to her home just over a week ago. She is moving so she is working hard to declutter.

I'm keeping the larger pieces at the front of the photo. The other two piles will go to my friend.

I was able to sort through all the fabric today and decided I will only keep the largest pieces of muslin. I intend to give the coloured cotton and smaller pieces of unbleached cotton, to a friend of mine.  She's told me she will be organizing a bazaar to be held in the Fall just in time for Christmas gift buying. I told her I would donate a lot of yarn for her other friends to make things to sell and also give her some things I've made. I know she would like to make some quilts too that's why I want to give her the fabric but if she changes her mind I will donate the fabric to the thrift store.

I unearthed these quilt pieces this week while I was sorting a few things.  I should sew them together soon.

Besides sorting through my fabrics and seeing what fabric I could keep of the  new stash, I've been sorting through papers. This is one of my least favourite jobs.  But it saves money for it keeps you home when you could be out spending. It also helps to go through old bills and statements to compare expenses over the past year before you through things out. It helps to see where you can tighten up spending.  A lot of companies now charge a few extra dollars a month to receive a paper bill. I really detest that because I prefer paper bills which I can sit and compare with other paper bills over time. I've just discovered that my telephone provider is increasing fees by $2. a month and another $2. a month for paper bills.  Now I will have to call and make sure I  get invoices by email.  I also need to see where I can shave costs from the communications bundle I already use to save costs on internet, telephone and television. I was overcharged for some television costs so I need to deal with that too and have a few other things to discuss with them. By the time I am done I may find it cheaper to move my telephone service but I try to avoid making service provider changes if I can get some good service from customer service representatives and save a few dollars here and there.

I'm a paper keeper.  I keep all kinds of receipts, statements and documents. Problem is I don't have time to keep it all sorted. Slowly I am getting to that point. I'm working on a system that will work for me and still allow me to get rid of much of the paper I've been keeping for far too long.  It is a long process. Once I'm finished with the paper clutter, there are still many photos, books and crafting items to reduce. For the latter I like to try and use up as much of my craft items as possible and then see what I no longer want or need before donating it. It is also a source of pleasure and relaxation but only to a point. If there is too much clutter it is no longer relaxing and it has been at that point for some time.
 

All in all I had a frugal week. 

Every little bit of savings day after day and week after week does add up.

Whatever I'm able to save helps me to help Elvis (see right side bar) and others in Kenya.

What was your best frugal practice for the week?
What do you do with your savings?

One Easily Met Goal

Most of my friends know I am quite an avid reader. I always thought of myself as an avid reader anyway until I started keeping track of what I read and realized I am not such an avid reader after all. If I read 20-24 books a year that is a lot for me. Reading this amount of books is not so challenging that all you are doing is reading. In fact you can take long breaks between books and still read that many in a year. I do like to do other things with my time besides reading so 20-24 books each year is enough.

This year I set a goal of 24 books and have already read 22 of them. I hadn't planned on it but the weather has been inclement and I haven't felt much like doing the things I normally spend my time on. So I've made more progress than usual. I will have to increase my reading goal but need to make sure I don't continue to neglect my Bible readings. I got out of the rhythm of the Bible readings when I had to deal with some family matters and then I didn't get back into my routine.  I like to read a little bit out loud while listening to someone (on a Bible app) read the same verses.  It makes the words come alive for me.

I know many of you are readers too.  But if you are not a regular reader, I encourage you to set a modest reading goal for yourself. It's not too late to set a goal for 2014!

I'm also pleased to share this mosaic of today's sky.

I wrote yesterday of the forecasted rain but was pleased to get some breaks in the clouds and rain for even a short while today.

I hope you are are all enjoying your day.  Please do check out my sidebar Go Fund Me appeal for Elvis in Kenya. God bless.

Frugal Notes:  For those that like to save money, this is one of the least expensive hobbies you can find.  Books these days can be purchased super cheaply at your local thrift or second hand store. You can find a lot of popular fiction in these places and you can also find lots of reference materials. Sometimes I even find full sets of Christian reading material that have earlier been purchased from television offers.  If you would rather not spend the funds no matter how little, you can also borrow books from friends or trade something they want of yours or you can borrow books for free from the local library.  Four (4) of the seven (7) books in the photo at the top of this post are from the library.

Have a wonder - ful week!